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Jayson Tatum's historic game helps send Celtics to Eastern Conference semis
The Boston Celtics are in the second round of the playoffs. After a 120-89 victory over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night, Boston is moving onto the Eastern Conference semifinals for the eighth time in nine seasons.
While the Celtics made quick work of the Magic in five games, Orlando put up a strong fight, as the Paolo Banchero-led squad held up on defense and bogged the Celtics down into low-scoring games. After averaging 120.6 points per game in the regular season, the Magic held the Celtics to 103 per contest in this series.
Game 5 was much like the previous contests in this series, with the Magic holding their own on defense but contributing very little on the offensive end. Orlando's defense held up in the first half, but Boston caught fire in the latter half of the game. The Celtics missed their first seven attempts form three-point range but proceeded to go 13-of-17 for the rest of the game.
Jayson Tatum led all scorers with 35 points, to go along with a near-triple-double of 10 assists and eight rebounds. This marked his third consecutive game putting up at least 35 points, joining Larry Bird as the only Celtics to do this in the playoffs. In Tatum's three games since returning from a wrist injury he suffered in Game 1, the Celtics star has averaged 36/10.3/5.7 all while shooting 44% from three-point range.
TATUM TWO-HAND HAMMER TO END THE HALF
— NBA (@NBA) April 30, 2025
Magic/Celtics on NBA TV | BOS leads 3-1 pic.twitter.com/26Iwn1ztiT
Orlando couldn't keep up with the Celtics' high-flying offense. This year's Magic team ranked dead-last in the NBA in three point percentage (31.8%) and three-point makes (921). Once the Celtics built up a big lead, there was nothing the Magic could do to come back.
It was a rough night for Orlando's young star, Banchero. The 22-year-old was inefficient from the floor, shooting 6-of-15, and picked up his fifth foul in the middle of the third quarter. Once Banchero was forced out of the game, the Celtics went on a run and never relinquished the lead.
Joe Mazzulla mentioned that the Magic changed their coverage when Paolo Banchero took a seat with 5 fouls but also highlighted the #Celtics didn’t turn the ball over in the second half. pic.twitter.com/HZovX9QPtQ
— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) April 30, 2025
The Celtics can rest up and get healthier, now waiting to play the winner of the Pistons-Knicks series as they continue their pursuit of winning back-to-back championships.
More must-reads:
- Celtics advance with dominant second half against Magic
- Pistons' Cade Cunningham comes alive in fourth quarter to stave off elimination vs. Knicks
- The 'Most NFL QB two-rushing-TD games' quiz
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Pistons' Opportunity to Secure All-Star Upgrade Could Arise
Following their drastic turnaround last season, the Detroit Pistons found themselves at a bit of a crossroads. On the one hand, they could have stockpiled their assets and made a sizable upgrade to pair with budding superstar Cade Cunningham. Trajan Langdon opted to go the other route, keeping Detroit's core intact to see if they can continue growing together. Many called for Langdon to be aggressive in the market, feeling it's time to find a legitimate running mate for Cunningham to put Detroit over the top. He remains patient in his approach, wanting a larger sample size with the core before making any drastic decisions. With the start of the season just around the corner, it's likely Langdon has a change of heart anytime soon. That said, he might consider a change in approach at the trade deadline depending on how the Pistons open the year. When it came to targets for the Pistons, the most common name thrown around this summer was Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen. According to recent developments, it looks like the former All-Star could be made available. In a recent column, Sports Illustrated's NBA insider Chris Mannix broke down some of the top storylines heading into the upcoming season. He touched on Markkanen's future with the Jazz, noting that the team might look to move him at this year's deadline. "Lauri Markkanen is the name I hear most frequently," Mannix wrote. "Utah passed on an offer from Golden State for Markkanen in the summer of 2024, believing a stronger market would materialize. It didn’t, and right now there is a belief that the Jazz are very open for business on their 28-year-old ex-All-Star." If the Jazz decide to move on from Markkanen, it creates an opportunity for Langdon to leave his mark on his time in Detroit. This would be his first major swing since taking over the front office, and one that could yield big results. Markkanen, 28, is a near-perfect co-star for Cunningham. He provides a strong scoring punch and outside shooting while not commanding the ball a lot. This allows the Pistons' star to remain the centerpiece of the offense while also having a high-level talent to lead the charge with him. Only time will tell if Utah does part with Markkanen, but if they do, it's something the Pistons should strongly consider.
The Big Five: NFL’s biggest surprises of the 2025 season — for better or worse
The 2025 NFL season has already produced unexpected plot twists, with projected playoff teams struggling and preseason afterthoughts becoming the talk of the town. For better or worse, here are the NFL's most surprising teams entering Week 6. 1. Baltimore Ravens (1-4) When things can't possibly get worse for the Ravens, they reach new depths. By losing 44-10 in Week 5 to the Houston Texans, a team it has historically dominated, Baltimore tied for its worst home loss in franchise history. The Ravens made moves this week to improve a putrid secondary, acquiring safety Alohi Gilman from the Los Angeles Chargers for edge-rusher Odafe Oweh and signing free-agent safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, but that's unlikely to provide immediate relief. In Week 6, Baltimore hosts the Los Angeles Rams, who have the league's second-ranked pass offense, so QB Matthew Stafford should carve up the defensive backfield with wideouts Puka Nacua (who is on a pace for a record-shattering season) and Davante Adams. Baltimore's offense, which is likely to be without two-time MVP starting quarterback Lamar Jackson (hamstring) for the second consecutive week, won't be able to keep up in a shootout. Oddsmakers agree, with Los Angeles an 8.5-point favorite, per ESPN BET. The Ravens appear headed for a 1-5 record entering their Week 7 bye, but they have a much more favorable schedule when they return. According to ESPN's NFL Football Power Index, Baltimore ranks No. 25 in remaining strength of schedule. With a healthy Jackson and an AFC North up for grabs, don't rule out a second-half surge. Yet it's just as likely Baltimore spends all season in a hole it can't get out of. 2. Indianapolis Colts (4-1) The most surprising success story of the season is in Indianapolis, which has surpassed all expectations. Quarterback Daniel Jones, who entered 2025 3-13 in his past 16 starts, is playing like an MVP candidate. Through five games, the No. 6 overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft is 107-of-150 (71.3 percent) for 1,290 yards, nine total touchdowns and two interceptions. The offense has generated most of the headlines, and for good reason, but the defense has been a revelation as well. The unit has held three of its first five opponents under 300 yards and forced a turnover in each game. Indy's fortune might not change in Week 6 as it hosts the Arizona Cardinals, who are coming off one of the most embarrassing collapses in recent history, blowing an 18-point lead at home to the previously winless Tennessee Titans. Arizona (2-3) has turned the ball over five times in its past two games. With road games remaining against the Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars and Seattle Seahawks, the Colts will soon provide a more accurate gauge on where they stand. But rather than being a Week 1 flash in the pan, Indianapolis looks built for the long haul. 3. San Francisco 49ers (4-1) Colts head coach Shane Steichen's main competition for Coach of the Year should be Kyle Shanahan, who has done a masterful job of leading a hobbled 49ers squad to the top of the NFC West. San Francisco is 3-0 without starting quarterback Brock Purdy, with Mac Jones joining Daniel Jones as one of the year's great reclamation projects. The Niners are also thriving without elite production in the run game from Christian McCaffrey, who is averaging 3.1 yards per carry. San Francisco is already 3-0 in division games, but to maintain its edge in the NFC West, the offense must become more balanced. Through Week 5, the Niners are first in pass offense (290.6 yards per game) but rank last in yards per rush attempt (3.1) and are the league's only team without a rushing touchdown. (Every other team has at least two.) 4. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1) The Jaguars made the AFC South the only NFL division with two one-loss teams after coming back to win at home against the three-time defending AFC champion Chiefs in Week 5. Jacksonville ranks in the top 10 in the NFL in both scoring offense and scoring defense. The Jaguars have ascending talent on both sides of the ball, with running back Travis Etienne (443 rushing yards) averaging career highs in yards per carry (5.8) and rush yards per game (88.6). First-year head coach Liam Coen has done a good job of running him in advantageous situations, with Etienne only facing a stacked box (eight or more defenders near the line of scrimmage) on 13 percent of his carries, the sixth-lowest rate among qualifying running backs, per NFL Pro. The defense, led by first-year defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, a former Green Bay Packers linebackers coach/run game coordinator, has more than held up on its end, forcing an NFL-high 14 turnovers. Linebacker Devin Lloyd (four interceptions, one fumble recovery) is one of the league's most improved players. ESPN's FPI gives the Jaguars a 75.4 percent chance to reach the playoffs, the third-highest odds in the AFC, trailing the Buffalo Bills (92.2 percent) and Colts (85 percent). 5. Las Vegas Raiders (1-4) "I'm processing it poorly to tell you the truth," first-year Raiders head coach Pete Carroll, 74, told reporters after his team's 40-6 trouncing at the Colts last Sunday. "I did expect to win right out of the chutes," Carroll added. Technically, Las Vegas did, defeating the New England Patriots (3-2) in Week 1. But four consecutive losses have dimmed hopes of a playoff run and instead raised significant questions, particularly at quarterback. Geno Smith, acquired in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks in the offseason, has regressed significantly after a strong three-year run as Seahawks starter. Through five games, Smith leads the NFL in interceptions (nine), throwing one on 5.5 percent of his pass attempts, more than double his rate from 2022-24 (2.1 percent). Instead of contending for a postseason spot, the Raiders, a longtime doormat, are closer to the No. 1 pick. Las Vegas is projected to end the season with the league's fifth-worst record, per ESPN. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Jacksonville Jaguars Announce Unfortunate Decision After Win Against Chiefs
The Jacksonville Jaguars ended their 16-year losing streak to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night after a thrilling 31-28 victory at EverBank Stadium. Trevor Lawrence turned in another strong performance to help lead the Jaguars to victory with 18-of-25 completed passes for 221 yards and one touchdown. It wasn’t all good news for the Jaguars, though, who improved to 4-1 after taking down Patrick Mahomes and the mighty Chiefs. They lost starting tight end Brenton Strange in the first half after the former Penn State Nittany Lions star suffered a hip injury. Strange was unable to return to the game, and tests have determined a significant quad issue for the 24-year-old. The Jaguars took to social media on Tuesday to announce that Strange has been placed on injured reserve (IR), which means he will be forced to miss at least four games due to his hip problem. “The Jacksonville Jaguars have made the following roster moves: Placed TE Brenton Strange on injured reserve Signed WR Tim Jones to the practice squad Released WR Erik Ezukanma from the practice squad,” JaguarsPR posted on X. In five games played this season, Strange has already registered a team-high 20 catches for 204 yards. He hasn’t scored a touchdown yet, but is currently on pace to set career-high receiving marks. This injury is a tough blow amid his strong start, and the hope is that Strange will be able to pick up where he left off once he’s healthy enough to return. The silver lining for the Jaguars here is that Strange has reportedly avoided a season-ending injury, and the team expects him to be back in around a month. For now, Jacksonville will need to turn to the likes of Johnny Mundt and Hunter Long to fill the void at tight end. The Jaguars also announced on Tuesday that they’ve brought in WR Tim Jones to the practice squad, while Erik Ezukanma has been released. It remains to be seen if Jones will be able to do enough to earn a spot on the active roster. Jacksonville’s next game is on Sunday as they take on the 3-2 Seattle Seahawks in a home game at EverBank Stadium for Week 6.
Why HC Andy Reid is to blame for Chiefs' collapse vs. Jaguars
The Kansas City Chiefs seemed to be in total control on "Monday Night Football." They jumped to an early 14-0 lead over the Jacksonville Jaguars and were dominating on both sides of the ball before it all went downhill. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was 29-of-41 with a touchdown and an interception, while Jaguars signal-caller Trevor Lawrence was 18-of-25, also with a TD and an interception. Despite similar stat lines, it was Lawrence who rallied his squad to a 31-28 win. The difference? The Chiefs drew a whopping 13 penalties, making it incredibly difficult for them to pull out a win as they constantly went backwards and gave up yards. That said, Kansas City head coach Andy Reid didn't seem to agree with some of the calls: "We had 13 penalties, to their 4," Reid said, per Harold R. Kuntz. "Whether I agree with them or don't agree w/ them, it doesn't matter. They called them. So, you have that many penalties, you give up field position, you can out stat them to death, but that doesn't matter. It's the score that matters." Andy Reid must be held accountable Reid is entitled to his opinion, but Monday night's game wasn't an outlier. The Chiefs have become one of the most undisciplined teams in the league, and that ultimately falls on the coach. Reid has also stuck with Jawaan Taylor at right tackle, even though he's leading the league in penalties for yet another season. As pointed out by Josh Dubow of Associated Press, the Chiefs are currently tied sixth for the most enforced penalties per game (8.4), fifth in enforced penalty yards per game (70), tied for the second-worst penalty differential (-13) and the third-worst team in penalty yard differential (-90). It's too early to sound the alarms, but undisciplined teams rarely go the distance. Reid is one of the greatest NFL head coaches of all time, but he needs to be held accountable and, more importantly, get to work to fix these issues.
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